


level 9

by qynntessence



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: F/F, F/M, Gen, Multi, Other, Polyamory
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-03-04
Updated: 2015-03-16
Packaged: 2018-03-16 09:20:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,789
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3482879
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/qynntessence/pseuds/qynntessence
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Natasha becomes Level 9, and Coulson calls her at 3am to tell her that he's not dead. Clint's pissed off.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. a very angry russian assassin who was not on his plane

**Author's Note:**

> I'm always looking for constructive criticism or examples of what I do well so I can improve, so don't hesitate to leave a comment/shoot me a message. Thanks for reading!

“Romanoff, how could you know this and not tell me about it?” Clint screams at her from the opposite end of the hotel room, and she drops her head into her hands.

“Firstly, Clint, keep your fucking voice down. We are undercover and it’s _late_. Secondly, I found out _two days ago_ , when we were supposed to be prepping for this mission, and you know just as well as I do that you wouldn’t have come if you knew.” Natasha states firmly, gritting her teeth. “Trust me, I’m absolutely shocked and very pissed off. But it’s Coulson, and there’s got to be a reason that he didn’t tell us, okay?”

Clint knows she’s thinking rationally and he hates it, hates that she’s right. He sighs, all traces of anger disappearing as he walks towards her. She opens her arms and he lets her support him, her hands gently tracing over his hair. “I know it sucks, Clint, but there’s a reason.” He knows she doesn’t believe that, knows she’s just trying to comfort him, but he doesn’t care enough to call her on her bullshit. He sighs as they lie down in the king bed, limbs tangled and her head resting on his chest.

“There’s got to be a reason, Clint. Coulson wouldn’t keep his revival from us for nothing.”

\--

Coulson had gotten the notification two days ago, and is honestly surprised he’s still alive after 48 hours. Sure, he’s in a plane with an expert pilot and they haven’t landed anywhere near a SHIELD base in a week, but Natasha had found him in worse condition.

He couldn’t help the swell of pride he got when SHIELD notified him that Natasha had become Level 9 (and the memory of why Barton hadn’t been promoted with his partner), but that also meant she would know he was alive. Which, okay, was something he hadn’t anticipated yet.

He figures that she’d rather hear it from him rather than some SHIELD database, which is why, at 3am, on the morning before her mission, he calls one of the most dangerous women in the world.

“Hello?” To anyone else, the voice would’ve sounded crisp and awake, but Phil can detect the slightest tone in her voice that confirmed his suspicions- she had just woken up from another nightmare.

“Natasha.” He begins, waiting to see if she would hang up.

“What the fuck, Coulson.” 

“We need to talk.”

“No, you need to talk.”

“Fair.”

And that’s how Coulson ended up spending two hours on the phone with a very angry Russian assassin who still had not shown up on his plane.

\--

Natasha wakes up with her hair in an archer’s mouth and her head pounding. She groans and nuzzles her face into Clint’s neck as his arm wraps around her shoulders.

“G’morning.” He mumbles, eyes openly slowly as he pulls her closer.

“I can’t believe he didn’t tell us, Tasha. We were- we were his agents, his-”

“Superheroes.” She says, fondly remembering when Phillip had first used the word.

“He still cares, Clint. Once I got promoted to Level 9, he called. Didn’t want me to hear it from the database, wanted to talk.”

“Still doesn’t excuse dying and then not telling us that, you know, he _wasn’t actually dead_.”

“I know. I’m pissed. But we need to finish this mission first- then we can kill the revived idiot on a plane.” Clint sighs, knowing that his partner is right.

“Fine. Go get dressed.” He pulls himself out of bed to wrap his arms around her. “Why wouldn’t he tell us, Nat? He tells us everything.”

“I don’t know, Clint.”

\--

A week later, when Strike Team Delta returns from Atlanta, Fury knows he’s in for a very angry Natasha.

“Come in.” He says calmly as the two agents storm into his office. Natasha’s glare could melt steel, and Clint just looks more hurt than anything else. He notices the blood under Natasha’s nails and the rings around Clint’s eyes- so nightmares then, worse than normal.

“Fury.” The fact that Natasha doesn’t use his first name indicates what he already knows- she is beyond pissed off at him.

“Care to tell me why I got a call from Phil Coulson last Tuesday? Since, you know, he’s supposed to be dead.” She pierces him with a glare that, on any other agent, would’ve had them cowering in their chair. He just smiles.

“He didn’t want you to hear about his revival from anyone but him. When you got promoted, it meant you would have the clearance to see that. He wanted to make sure you were okay.” Fury softens his words as he looks at the two assassins, watches as Natasha’s eyes crinkle in fondness for her- boss wasn’t the right word. For her friend.

“I assume he ran this by you first, Director?” She leans back in her chair and puts her feet on his desk, daring him to scold her.

“Of course, and I agreed that you should know from him rather than anyone else. I also assumed Barton would find out.” He sighs. “I’ve made arrangements for you to see him in two days. Take some time to clean up, sleep, and then you can see him.”

Natasha’s eyes widen slightly. “Thank you.” She says quietly, turning to her partner. He nods in Fury’s direction before walking out- Clint had always been a private person with his feelings, and while he would come to Nick occasionally, he preferred to deal with them alone.

Natasha stays. As the official meeting ended, Nick could see her relaxing, biting her lip as her eyes lost their hardness. “How many?” Nick asks softly, retrieving two mugs of hot chocolate from behind his desk. They had these talks often- he learned to be prepared.

“Three. But all kids.” She sighs into her cup and starts picking at her nails.

“I’m sorry.”

“I know.”

“What was the nightmare about?”

“The orphanage. As usual.” She stands, leaning her head against his shoulder.

“You’ve helped so much more than you’ve hurt, Natasha. Clint, Bruce, Tony, none of them would be here without you. Maria, Coulson, the same. You’ve impacted more people positively than you could ever hurt.” He puts a hand in her hair as she shakes.

“You are important to this organization and to me, among others.” And he knows that is what she needs to hear.

\--

She finds Clint shooting arrows an hour later, and she gently places a hand on his back to alert him of her presence. “Debriefing tomorrow afternoon, with Fury and Maria.” She reminds him, and he nods.

“I’ll be at the tower tonight.” He mumbles. “It’s movie night.”

“Yeah, but Tony’s picking.” She teases goodnaturedly, pressing a kiss to his shoulder.

“We all know you’re still going to go, Tash, even if you hate his taste!” He calls after her as she slinks out of his target practice.

“Whatever, Clint. See you at 7.”


	2. dinners at tony's

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Before their mission briefing, Nat and Clint meet up with the rest of the Avengers for dinner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm always looking for constructive criticism or examples of what I do well so I can improve, so don't hesitate to leave a comment/shoot me a message. Thanks for reading!

Clint and Natasha show up outside the billionaire’s tower at 6, holding hands and shaking from the cold. Thor greets them at the door, hair billowing in the light breeze, and they grin- dinners at Tony’s were one of the only thing they missed while on mission.

“Good evening, friends! We are just about to begin!” He pulls them both into a bear hug, and Natasha relaxes against the comfort of just being appreciated. She gives him a genuine smile when he pulls away and starts walking towards the elevator.

As they ride up to the communal floor, JARVIS informs them that both Nick and Maria will be joining them, and that Steve has not been feeling well, but has insisted on coming. Natasha rolls her eyes and presses the button to her floor. When the doors open, she throws her and Clint’s bags into the room and then leans against the elevator walls, waiting for it to rise a few more floors to where everyone else will be.

“Look who decided to show.” Tony says sarcastically, Bruce smiling at their entrance.

“Great to see you guys- haven’t seen you in weeks. How are you doing?” He gives them both a once-over, checking for obvious signs of injury, and Nat rolls her eyes.

“We’re fine, Bruce. Great to see you. How’s our resident super soldier feeling? JARVIS said he was under the weather?” The redhead turns to Tony as Clint and Bruce get into a discussion about the mission.

“Yeah, he’s not too hot right now. His asthma’s acting up and he’s got the flu, so that’s fun. Apparently the serum worked fine in the ‘40s, but diseases evolved and he didn’t. Though I wonder if I can change that-” Natasha cut him off with a glare. 

“He’s got a low fever, 100.3 last time I checked, sore throat, congestion, and a cough.” Bruce calls over, sympathy evident in his eyes. 

“I’m going to check on him before dinner. Clint, can you pull out the ingredients for the cookie dough?” She pulls her hair back into an easy ponytail and walks towards the elevator, pressing the button for Steve’s floor.

“So, if you’re sick, what does that say about the state of the union?” She calls into the room, noticing Steve lying on the couch, a green blanket tucked under his chin.

“Hey.” She kneels next to him, pressing a small hand to his forehead. “How’re you feeling, Rogers?”

“Gross. Did illness get worse in the 21st century?” He moans under her hand, and she grins, lifting his head into her lap.

“Nah, you’re just not used to it anymore. You know, you don’t have to come to dinner. We’ll all understand if you’re not up to it.” Her hands are buried in his hair, gently pulling it away from his eyes.

“Mmm. I’ll head up for the movie, though.” His voice is hoarse, and Natasha can feel herself wanting to just put him to bed, willing him to be okay.

“Why don’t you stay here? We can watch here, and you can rest.” She sighs as he begins to wheeze, great, wracking coughs that shake his entire body. “I mean it, Steve. I want you to rest.” Her eyes soften, an expression reserved for those closest to her.

“Okay.” He whispers, turning over and nuzzling his head deeper into her lap.

“I’m pretty sure you are not, in fact, a national icon, but a large puppy dog.” She says, leaning down to press a kiss to his temple.

“Yeah, but I’m the best puppy dog.”

\--

“Steve? I’m gonna head upstairs to help make dinner. I’ll bring down some soup when we head down for the movie, okay?” She places a pillow down where her lap was as he mumbles his agreement. “I’ll see you in an hour or so, call if you need me.”

She rides the elevator up in silence and emerges onto the very loud communal floor. Nick and Maria have arrived, and she goes to kiss her girlfriend hello. “Hey gorgeous.” She mutters into the commander’s ear, arms wrapping around her waist. 

“Hey sexy. Glad you’re not dead.” was the response. Nick rolls his eyes as Natasha slips past him.

“Natasha, you’ve got to stop sleeping with all of my best agents!” He calls after her.

“I sleep with Barton, though!” She calls back as a response, ignoring the archer’s growl.

“Steve’s still not feeling well. Can we watch the movie down there?” Tony nods, and they all continue to work on dinner.

\--

After dinner, the entire team piles into Steve’s living room to watch Finding Nemo. Steve is still stretched out on the couch, his head in Natasha’s lap. Clint leans his head against Nat’s knee, Maria leaning against him. Jane’s head is in her lap, Thor’s head against her stomach, Darcy’s chin on his chest. Nick has taken the chair closest to Steve’s head, feet dangling off the side while Bruce leans against the front of the chair. Tony and Pepper have combined into the last chair, with Rhodey leaning against them. After they all settle in with brownies and cookies, Tony turns on the movie.

Steve falls asleep about twenty minutes in, his sniffles causing Natasha to look down worriedly every few minutes. Clint ends up falling asleep against Maria within the hour, and both Tony and Pepper are snoozing by the time the credits roll. Bruce leaves right after the movie finishes, pressing a kiss to Nat’s head as a comfort. “I know your mission was rough. I’ll be in the lab tonight.” He whispers softly, and Nat gives him a grateful look. Rhodey gives her a nod and turns to the dogpile that is Jane, Darcy, and Thor. 

“You guys up for some video games? I’ve got a few on my floor.” They nod, and the four leave the SHIELD staff in peace.

“I’m going to head down to my floor. I’ll see you both, plus Barton, tomorrow.” Nick nods in their general direction. The two girls nod back, and Maria looks up towards Natasha.

“Do you want to stay here with Steve, or head up to your room?” She asks Natasha, eyes twinkling.

“JARVIS can alert me if anything happens with Steve. Let’s head up.” She rearranges Steve so he’s still comfortable, kissing his forehead as she does. “Let’s move Clint to his bed- Steve won’t mind- and we can head up.” 

\--

Natasha and Maria end up in the redhead’s bed, arms curled around each other and hair covering pillowcases. Maria wakes first, running a hand through her dark fringe and yawning. She decides not to wake the assassin and slips out of bed, and it’s a testament to Maria’s skills that Natasha does not immediately sit up and grab the gun under her pillow. The SHIELD commander walks into the kitchen to make breakfast, wiping sleep out of her eyes when there’s a knock at the door.

“Barton? I wasn’t aware you knew what morning was.” Hill answers the door calmly to an archer in his boxers.

“Yeah, well, I wouldn’t, if I didn’t leave my sweatpants over here before the mission.” He stumbles into Nat’s room, all limbs and elbows, and emerges with a pair of ridiculously purple sweatpants in hand.

“They were a gift.” He explains quickly. “God, she’s so gorgeous when she sleeps.” He means to mumble to himself, but, of course, Maria hears.

“I know. I don’t get to see her like this often, but it’s always a treat.” She gives him a smile as Natasha stirs in the other room.

“If you don’t shut up, neither of you will see me sleeping again.”

“Oh shut up, Tasha, you know you can’t resist me.”

Clint gets hit with a pillow.


	3. the small space between him and the couch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve's flu gets worse and Coulson tells his team about Strike Team: Delta visiting the Bus.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This takes place right after the Agents of SHIELD episode "The Hub".

Nat ends up sleeping in two hours past Barton’s arrival, waking with a crack of her neck and a bundle of hair in her face. She pushes the red curls away from her eyes and wanders into the kitchen, eyeing the beautiful brunette in front of her.

“Morning, gorgeous. Don’t forget, we’ve got a briefing this afternoon.” Maria presses her lips to Natasha’s temple as she sighs.

“I brought some breakfast to Steve. His cough has gotten worse, and his fever is rising. Wants to see you when you’re ready.” Maria passes her a plate piled high with scrambled eggs, which Natasha takes with a grateful but worried smile.

“I’ll head down there after breakfast. Want to spar before the briefing?”

“Can’t- I’ve got a meeting with Fury, Sitwell, Hand, and Coulson.” Of course Maria knew.

“Yeah, about that- any reason you didn’t tell me he was alive?” Natasha tries to seem light, but Maria wouldn’t need to be in charge of a spy agency to know she was concerned.

“You know why, Natasha. As deputy director, it was my job to make sure he was safe. As your girlfriend, it killed me to watch you go through that over someone I knew was alive.” Her arms come around Natasha’s waist, and she leans her head back on Maria’s shoulder.

“I know. I’m not upset with you, but I’m pissed at him.”

“That’s fair.”

\---

“Hey, Bruce.” Tony nodded towards the scientist as he continued to work on the project in front of him. “How’s Steve doing?”

“Alright, given the circumstances. He still looks and feels awful, though, and his fever is rising.” Bruce sighs quietly and waves his hand, making a few graphs appear in front of him. “I’m thinking we call Fury if it’s not better by tomorrow- none of us are trained in super soldier physiology to take a look at him.” 

Tony groans. “He’s going to hate that, you know.”

“Yeah, I know. But it’s necessary, and he’ll understand.” Bruce sighs.

“Hello, boys.” Natasha saunters into the lab, a plate of breakfast in one hand and a box of muffins in the other. She tosses the box on the lab, making Tony wince as his papers scatter out of their traditional absolute mess. “Steve?”

“Getting worse. His cough is terrible.” Bruce grabs a muffin from the box, ignoring Tony’s claims that the crumbs would affect his work and approaches Nat slowly. “You doing okay?” His eyes are kind as she nods, slowly.

“Worried about Steve. Mission was rough. But I’m fine.” She gives him a smile that doesn’t reach her eyes as he pulls her close, hands running through her hair.

“Nat, you know none of us believe that.” Tony approaches slowly, stealing a sausage link off her plate and then sitting across from the Bruce-Natasha embrace. “Just take care of yourself.” He presses a kiss to the top of her head, a rare show of affection from the engineer.

“I know.” She sighs and disentangles herself from the other scientist. “I’m going to go check on Steve.”

\--

“Hey.” Natasha raps softly on the doorframe, but Steve still winces at the noise. “Sorry. How’re you feeling?”

“Been better.” Steve rasps, a cough forming at the end of the phrase. The coughs continue to pour out of his mouth as Natasha approaches, a look of worry appearing on her features.

“Don’t want you to get sick.” He mumbles softly after he can speak again, turning his face into the couch. Natasha sighs.

“I’ll be fine, Steve. I’ve had the flu before.” She crawls into the small space between him and the couch and turns him around, so his back is flush against her. “JARVIS? Can you put on a movie, quietly?” Natasha starts running her hands over Steve’s back, gently working out the knots and kinks caused by stress. She can feel the fever through his t-shirt, the sweat making it stick to his back, and she looks at him worriedly.

“What can I do to help?”

“Stay.” He turns into her, nuzzling his head in between her shoulder and neck. She runs her hands through her queerplatonic partner’s hair as he coughs heavily.

“Thank you.” He mumbles softly, voice catching on the end as he coughs again.

“Don’t mention it.” 

Steve falls asleep with his face pressed against Natasha, breathing heavily and shaking as he coughs.

Natasha can’t remember being more worried about him. She could handle battle scars and broken bones, but she can’t control sickness. She can stick Clint in medical when he breaks his leg and she can wrap gauze around Maria’s head after a particularly nasty concussion, but she can’t do anything for the sick, coughing super soldier buried in her shoulder besides pull a blanket over him and try to hold him together with movies and hugs.

She doesn’t believe in a God, but she knows Steve does, so she hopes to his God that the rattling cough in his chest disappears.

When he wakes up an hour later, throat rubbed raw and eyes watery, Natasha remembers why she's a goddamn atheist.

\--

Clint sleeps through the rest of the day, only waking up when Nat bangs on his door around one. “Barton!” She calls. “We have a briefing in an hour, put some pants on!” The archer emerges from his bedroom, looking sleepy but alert, and stares at the red head in front of him.

“About the mission?” He mumbles, stumbling towards the fridge and pulling out a jug of orange juice.

“Yes, about the mission.” She steals a glass from his cabinet and pours herself some juice as well. “With Fury and Maria. Then, we stay after to talk about Coulson.” She watches his hand shake as he pours the juice. 

“We get to see him tomorrow.”

“How do you think that will go?” He asks softly.

“I’m honestly not sure. He’s got a plane and a team in the sky. I think it will be interesting, at the least.”

\--

Coulson had received the notice from Maria that morning.

_Agents Romanoff and Barton to report to SHIELD 616 tomorrow at 0900 in New York._

He had been pacing for the past thirty minutes, wondering how, exactly, he was going to explain to his team that the Avengers were coming aboard and oh, yeah, they didn’t know he was alive. They had been through enough with Ward and Fitz just returned from a mission, Simmons still reeling from her skydiving experience, and Skye trying her hardest to earn everyone’s trust. More unknown variables would just give him more of a headache.

However, he couldn’t say he would be upset to see Strike Team: Delta. He had missed Clint’s humor, Natasha’s smirk, their easy playfulness.

About an hour later, once he had gathered all of his agents in one room, Coulson takes a deep breath.

“You all know that I worked very closely with the Avengers. Tomorrow, at 9, we will be stopping in New York for Hawkeye and Black Widow. They will be meeting with me on some… personal matters, but will most likely be on the Bus for a few days. Treat them with respect.”

“We don’t have any free bunks. Where will they be sleeping?” Fitz asks, slightly eager.

“Fitz! I’m sure two of the most capable assassins in the world can sleep for a few days outside of a bunk.” The scientist scolds him slightly, but the excitement and adoration is clear in her eyes. “Natasha Romanoff is going to be on the same plane as me. Natasha Romanoff.” She’s grinning ear to ear when Coulson begins his next speech.

“And Simmons, while I’m sure Natasha would find your respect endearing, please remember that, while on the plane, they are Clint and Natasha, not Hawkeye and Black Widow. They’re SHIELD Agents and people, so… while you can respect them, treat them as such.” Simmons nods, looking a bit ashamed of herself.

“They’ll be here tomorrow. May, set a course for New York.”


End file.
